


A Close Shave

by wackyjacqs



Series: Bizarre Holidays [230]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-02-01 22:44:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21432709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs
Summary: A frustrated curse echoes loudly around the locker room and Sam hesitates outside the door.
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Series: Bizarre Holidays [230]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1234973
Comments: 38
Kudos: 135





	A Close Shave

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rsundayr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rsundayr/gifts).

> Written for ‘Men’s Grooming Day’ (16 August).
> 
> For rsundayr - happy birthday!!

A frustrated curse echoes loudly around the locker room and Sam hesitates outside the door. Technically, it should be Daniel or Teal’c doing the honors and checking up on the colonel to make sure he is now decently attired and ready to leave the base but, somehow, she’s managed to draw the short straw.

So, here she is and she’s tried to convince herself that it isn’t weird. _At all._ Which is kind of true; it isn’t the first time she’s had to hang around and follow up with her commanding officer – or any of her teammates – after one of their less successful missions. _No, definitely not weird,_ she tells herself.

Another string of expletives filters into the corridor, pulling her from her reverie, and she tries not to smile at the creativity of some of the statements. She takes a deep breath, finally steps up the door and knocks twice.

“Sir? Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s just peachy, Carter,” he snaps and she winces in response. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Yes, sir,” she nods, even though he can’t see her. With nothing else to do, she steps away from the door and leans against the nearest wall to wait. When five minutes pass and there is still no sign of the colonel, she frowns in concern. She hasn’t heard much noise coming from the locker room at all during that time and she’s starting to wonder if he really is okay. She’s just about to shout a warning that she’s on her way in when the door swings open.

He leans against it moments later and Sam sees that he is trying to catch his breath.

“I’m fine,” he grinds out, but she notices the lines around his eyes and how he clenches his jaw as she studies him and it tells her enough to know that he isn’t fine. Still, she knows better than to actually vocalize those thoughts – especially when they’re still at the SGC – so she forces a smile and gestures vaguely over her shoulder.

“You ready to go, sir?”

* * *

He’s been stealing glances at her ever since he folded himself into her sports car but she’s impressed that he’s managed to wait until they are halfway to his house before he turns and openly stares at her. She risks a look in his direction before returning her attention to the road.

“What?”

“Where’s my truck?”

She doesn’t quite manage to hide her smile at his petulant tone but she decides to make him suffer for a few seconds longer before she answers by checking her rear-view mirror.

“Teal’c promised he would take good care of her, sir.”

“You let Teal’c drive my truck?”

“No,” she replies honestly, “Daniel did.”

“Wh–”

“He and Teal’c decided to go ahead and grab some food. They’re going to meet us at your place.”

She pauses for just a moment, suddenly unsure as to whether their idea was a good one, considering they haven’t actually cleared it with the colonel. “I can call –”

“It’s fine, Carter,” he says, his attention switching to the scenery passing by the passenger window, “but if Daniel even _thinks_ about getting behind the wheel…”

* * *

Sam takes a deep breath as she follows Jack into his house. He’s been quiet, and a little grumpy, ever since their brief conversation in the car and while she doesn’t exactly blame him for his bad mood, she doesn’t want their team night to be fraught with tension. She watches him move slowly towards the kitchen as he makes a beeline for the refrigerator and she has to quickly pluck the beer from his hand before he can twist the cap off the bottle.

“Janet said no alcohol with the painkillers.”

“Then I’m fine,” he argues, making a grab for the bottle, “because I haven’t taken them.”

It’s mean, but she lifts the drink just out of his reach, and stares. “Don’t you think you should?”

He glares at her and she swallows hard but refuses to back down. “Sir, the locals broke your shoulder. You –”

“I can handle it,” he interrupts harshly. “And I already took some of the damn pills,” he mutters as he shoves his free hand into the pocket of his jeans.

“You – you have?”

He nods, then grimaces. “I took a couple before we left the base.”

He surprises her with his admission because she knows how much pain he must be experiencing for him to first take the painkillers and then admit to it.

“How bad?”

He lifts his good shoulder in a half-shrug before he runs a hand over his jawline. “I’ve had worse.”

It doesn’t really appease her concerns but she doesn’t press the issue. Instead, she sighs, twists the cap off the bottle of beer and hands it back to him.

“Don’t tell Janet,” she adds, and her heart beats a little faster when he grins.

Looking away, she decides she could also use a drink and while she tries to regain her composure, she only vaguely registers the colonel leaving. She finds him in the living room a few minutes later. He looks more at ease as he leans back into the armchair; his eyes are closed but he runs his hand across his chin again and the words escape her before she can stop them.

“Is it annoying you?”

One of his eyes pops open and she feels her skin grow hot under his stare but she moves further into the room and gestures towards his face. “I thought I heard you say you were going to shave before you left the base?”

“I was,” he answers, studying her warily before he sighs, “but I couldn’t manage it with just one hand.”

The pieces start to slide into place as she recalls his pale and sweaty complexion from earlier. “Do you want me to do it?”

They both freeze at her question and for a moment she isn’t sure which one of them is more surprised. She thinks it _might_ be him so she’s just about to apologize and tell him to forget she said anything, when he leans forward and sets his beer down. “Sure”.

“_Oh._ Uh –”

He seems to take her hesitation as a refusal and he pulls a face. “Never mind,” he mutters, avoiding her gaze. “I was jok–”

_“No,”_ she interrupts with more force than necessary. “I mean – it’s fine,” she says with a forced smile. “I just wasn’t expecting you to say yes. Where’s –”

“It’s down the hall,” he finishes. “I’ll get it,” he says, then adds. “Are you sure?”

His face is just inches from hers and his voice is low and husky and it turns her insides to liquid. No longer trusting her own voice, she nods.

She’s downed half her beer by the time Jack returns and she waits until he settles himself in his armchair again before she perches on the edge of the coffee table. She refuses to meet his gaze as she gets to work, silently reaching for the shaving gel and applying it to his chin and jaw line before she wipes her hands on a cloth and picks up the razor. She slowly reaches up and angles his head so she can discover where’s best to begin before she hooks her fingers under his chin and tilts his head upwards. She stands slightly, and it’s only when she’s looking down at him does she realize just how close they are. His eyes are dark and bore into hers and she can feel his breath tickle her neck when he exhales.

“You sure you know what you’re doing, Sweeney Todd?”

Despite the situation, she smiles and it momentarily breaks the tension that’s built up between them so she decides to just go for it and presses the blade against his skin, carefully running it along the direction of the hair growth. She repeats the action a few more times and when there’s no sight of blood or snarky complaints from the man sitting in front of her, she relaxes and continues to work.

A part of her wants to finish the task as quickly as possible but it isn’t easy. She tries her best to ignore the way his eyes follow her every move or how the muscles in his jaw tense, then relax, underneath her touch or those puffs of air that tickle her face every time he exhales. All that’s left is the area under his nose and she shuffles closer, one of her legs sliding in-between his, as she touches his face once again. She’s almost finished by the time she realizes the colonel’s hand has since found its way to her leg, his thumb idly brushing against the juncture of her thigh and outer hip. The contact is right and wrong all at once and it’s almost too much but when Sam catches his eye and sees his gaze fall to her lips, she can’t help but think if she leans forward just a fraction more she could –

Without warning, the front door swings open and Daniel and Teal’c’s voices travel down the hall, but when the colonel’s muffled curse reaches her ears, she risks a look in his direction and discovers he’s hurt his shoulder when they jumped apart. She reaches out, only for him to grit his teeth and shake his head.

“I’m… fine,” he manages.

“Oh, hey guys,” Daniel says as he appears in the doorway and his gaze slowly switches between the two. “Are we interrupting?”

“No,” Jack answers immediately, and Sam dips her head as she feels herself blush, deciding to busy herself with putting away the colonel’s shaving kit. “Why don’t you leave the food in the kitchen? We’ll be right there.”

Sam holds her breath as she waits for Daniel to turn around and leave. It feels like an eternity before she knows they’re alone again. Closing her eyes, she picks up the small bag and she's about to get to her feet, only for Jack to reach out and place his hand over hers.

“Sam,” he utters quietly, when she refuses to meet his gaze. It takes a few more seconds before she’ll look at him and then he offers her a small, but understanding, smile.

“Thanks, Carter,” he finally murmurs as his thumb brushes over the inside of her wrist, but she has a feeling that isn’t what he was originally going to say.

Acknowledging whatever did, or didn’t, just happen between them she nods and he squeezes her hand before he lets it go. As Sam stands, she can feel his gaze burning into her as she leaves.

She isn’t sure whether she’s thankful or resentful for the interruption.


End file.
